Has your flight been cancelled and the airline offers no viable onward travel? With this tool, you put in writing that you demand alternative transport and set a deadline for the airline to provide it. If nothing reasonable is offered, you can organise the onward travel yourself, for example by train, taxi or hire car, and subsequently reclaim the reasonable costs with a second letter.
Editorially reviewed on: 26/10/2026
If your flight is cancelled, under the UK Flight Compensation Regulations (UK261, retained EU Regulation 261/2004) you have the right to choose, regardless of the cause: a refund of the ticket or alternative transport to the final destination under comparable conditions, at the earliest opportunity or at a later date of your choice (Article 8). This is in addition to the right to care (Article 9). In practice, airlines often remain inactive, especially at the airport or when hotlines are overloaded. This is exactly what the deadline notice is for.
| Situation | What the regulations provide | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Cancellation | Refund or alternative transport (Art. 8), care (Art. 9), possible compensation (Art. 7) | Ask the airline to provide alternative transport, set a deadline |
| Denied boarding (e.g., overbooking) | As with cancellation, possible compensation | Demand written confirmation of denied boarding |
| Delay of 5 hours or more | Ticket refund (Art. 6 in conjunction with Art. 8), care (Art. 9) | Alternative transport is not an automatic right, but it is worth asking |
| Shorter delay (depending on route, 2 to 4 hours) | Care (Art. 9) | No statutory alternative transport, but right to meals |
The airline may, in principle, organise the onward travel using another mode of transport, as long as it is reasonable and gets you to your destination in a reasonable time. This is often the fastest solution for shorter distances or cancellations at a connecting airport. It is important that the airline makes the choice or agrees to it. Therefore, demand a specific alternative transport with departure or take-off time and state which mode of transport is suitable for you.
Anyone who books themselves without giving the airline an opportunity to remedy the situation risks not having the costs reimbursed. The written deadline shows that you gave the airline the chance to fulfil its obligation. There is no statutory minimum deadline. What matters is what is reasonable under the circumstances, for example how urgently you need to arrive and how quickly alternatives are booked out. At the airport, one to three hours is common. Use the live calculator above to insert the time directly into the text.
Reimbursement for self-organised onward travel is not guaranteed in every case. Airlines often refuse if the costs are unreasonably high (e.g., business class instead of economy, taxi over very long distances instead of train) or if the deadline notice is missing. Therefore, choose the cheapest reasonable option that gets you to your destination in a reasonable time, and keep tickets and payment receipts.
Photos of the departure board with the time, screenshots of the airline app or the cancellation email, written confirmation of the disruption, names and statements of staff, your deadline notice with the time it was sent, and the prices of alternatives at the time of booking. Also request written confirmation of the cancellation stating the reason.
The alternative costs must be distinguished from the fixed compensation (Article 7). This amounts to £220, £350 or £520 depending on the distance and does not apply, among other things, in extraordinary circumstances. Check our guide on flight delays and cancellations to see if you are entitled to it. In the UK, claims under the regulations are generally subject to a limitation period of six years in England and Wales (or five years in Scotland). Nevertheless, submit your claim promptly.
If the flight is part of a package holiday, also contact your tour operator or the local holiday representative. You are then additionally entitled to rights under the Package Travel Regulations. You can find information in our guide to travel defects.
There is no connection between Fix my Trip and the companies mentioned. The mention is solely for orientation purposes. The flight compensation regulations (UK261/EU261) apply, regardless of the airline's name, to flights departing from UK/EU airports and to flights by UK/EU-licensed airlines arriving in the UK/EU.
Whether the airline will reimburse the costs is not guaranteed in every case. It is best to set a reasonable written deadline for the airline to provide alternative transport, and only book yourself afterwards if nothing reasonable is offered. Document everything and keep costs within reason.
There is no fixed statutory deadline. Reasonable depends on the situation, such as urgency and availability of alternatives. At the airport, deadlines of one to three hours are common. Do not rely on verbal agreements; record the deadline in writing.
In the event of a mere delay, the UK flight compensation regulations primarily provide for care and, from five hours of delay, a ticket refund. A right to alternative transport under the regulations exists mainly in cases of cancellation and denied boarding. Nevertheless, ask the airline about rebooking.
In case of cancellation, denied boarding, and major delays, the airline must offer care: meals and refreshments, two means of communication, and if necessary, a hotel stay including transfers. This generally applies even in extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather or strikes.
No. The fixed compensation under Article 7 of the regulations (£220 to £520) is a separate claim and depends, among other things, on the distance and whether extraordinary circumstances applied. Reimbursement of your alternative transport costs may be considered in addition.
Also contact your tour operator or the holiday representative. For package holidays, the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 apply additionally, and the tour operator is your contracting party for resolving the issue.
Send the deadline notice via a method that leaves a timestamp (email, contact form with confirmation, chat with history). Only book alternatives if you really need to continue your journey, and prefer flexible fares. Keep the original documents and only send copies to the airline later.
Our guides and generators are based on the analysis of current UK/EU regulations, case law, and national travel law. They are developed by Marc (Project Lead) & Team to provide travellers with structured self-help for travel problems.
Important note: This page does not provide individual legal advice. The reimbursement of self-organised onward travel depends on the individual case.
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Whether flight delays, hotel defects, or alternative transport - here you will find the right guide and template letter for almost every travel situation.